La Cathédrale Saint-Pierre - À l'intérieur

After beginning our visit to la Cathédrale de Saint-Pierre at the very bottom with the archaeological dig, we left the archaeological museum to view the inside of the cathedral.  While Geneva was a Catholic stronghold until the early 16th century, it was greatly affected by the Protestant Reformation.  The last Roman Catholic bishop of the city was forced to leave in 1532.  The city officially declared itself Protestant in 1536.  That same year, the French theologian, Jean Calvin, was invited to help reform the church in Geneva.  While his ideas were not popular originally so that he spent a short period in exile from the city, Calvin ultimately spent the greater part of the period from 1536 to his death in 1564 in Geneva and became its spiritual leader.  Since 1536, la Cathédrale de Saint-Pierre has been known as Calvin's adopted church.  The cathedral currently belongs to the Swiss Reformed Church.

While the cathedral is an eclectic mixture of styles, its interior today is one that is striking in its simplicity

and uplifting with its soaring vaults and columns.

Apart from some stained-glass windows, decoration is confined to wood carvings, as here.

Geneva remained a Protestant stronghold from 1536.  It became a haven for Huguenots (French followers of Jean Calvin) fleeing religious persecution in France.  Geneva's best-known historic festival is l'Escalade (literally, the scaling of defensive walls) which commemorates the city's successful rout of troops sent by Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy in December 1602 in an attempt to crush Protestantism.  While it ultimately happened that a large part of the historic Geneva diocese returned to Catholicism in the early 17th century despite the events of l'Escalade, this return was due largely to the teachings and influence of St. Francis de Sales, appointed Bishop of Geneva, rather than to any military action.

Geneva adopted a strict separation of Church and State in 1907.  Today, it is deservedly regarded as a city of religious tolerance that extends beyond tolerance of Christian religions only.  Other cities and countries - and individuals - would do well to follow its example.  But it seems so far that all too many will never, ever learn.  If anything, I have seen the world grow much worse in my own lifetime, especially in the last ten years.   And that is literally tragic.